The F/A-18E, assigned to Carrier Air Wing 2, was on final approach to the Carl Vinson when the incident occurred. The carrier was conducting flight operations while transiting the Celebes Sea in the Western Pacific, south of the Philippines and east of the island of Borneo.

The carrier Carl Vinson is currently on its way to the Korean Peninsula as a show of force amid North Korea's recent long range missile tests and reports of planned nuclear weapons tests. The strike group made news this week when Defense News reported that the carrier was actually heading in the opposite direction from the peninsula some 3,500 miles away.

Having redirected to the Sea of Japan off of the Korean Peninsula, the carrier strike group is expected to arrive in the region next week.